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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · spell · degree · rash · arm · rock · nail · snap

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. degree — an amount
  5. degree — from a university
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. degree — temperature
  9. rash — a series
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. spell — magic
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. spell — a short time
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. snap — to click
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spell — letters
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com